Wild Goose Festival

Optics Demonstration
2023-10-22 10:00 - 16:00 UTC | WWT Caerlaverock, WWT Caerlaverock, Eastpark Farm, Dumfriesshire, Scotland, DG1 4RS, United Kingdom
Interested in a new pair of binoculars, or a telescope? Optics greatly enhance your experience of watching geese, helping you see the stunning plumage of these beautiful birds and watch their fascinating behaviour.

Experts from Swarovski and Viking are visiting WWT Caerlaverock to demonstrate and sell a range of optics.

Take this opportunity to try out a great range of optics and get all your questions answered.

No advance booking required.

Accessibility Details: Our site has disabled parking & facilities, is wheelchair accessible with wheelchairs available for hire. Trained service dogs are allowed.

Dawn Flight
2023-10-22 06:45 - 09:00 | WWT Caerlaverock, WWT Caerlaverock, Eastpark Farm, Dumfriesshire, Scotland, DG1 4RS, United Kingdom
Take this unique opportunity to watch thousands of barnacle geese flighting in to the reserve against the dawn sky.

We will walk out to the merse at dawn to watch this spectacular wildlife event. Please bring weatherproof clothes, suitable footwear, binoculars, and a torch.

BOOKING ESSENTIAL

BOOK TOUR TICKETS HERE

Accessibility Details: Please bear in mind, this requires a walk of approximately half a mile on uneven paths in low light conditions.

Goose Roost on Sandflats Walk at Mersehead
2023-10-21 17:15 - 19:15 | RSPB Mersehead, RSPB Mersehead Nature Reserve, Southwick, Dumfries, DG2 8AH, United Kingdom
Some of the greatest spectacles of nature take place at dusk.

Join our guide to enjoy Svalbard barnacle geese descending on the sandflat and reserve to roost.

This will involve a ¾mile/1.2km walk down to the shore, to view incoming geese. There may be some standing around for a while once in position.

Please wrap up warmly, come prepared for cold or wet weather and bring a torch for safe return to the car park afterwards.

Note that access over the sand-dunes is not suitable for normal wheelchairs. Families welcome (though not suitable for younger children). All children must be accompanied by ticketed adults. Additional car park charge applies for non-RSPB members.

BOOKING ESSENTIAL

BOOK YOUR TICKETS HERE

Accessibility Details: Firm, mostly surfaced path along route. Distance: 2+miles/3.4km. Visibility will diminish, with return walk in darkness.

Age Restriction?: Adults and children 12+

Beginner Wetland Birding
2023-10-21 13:30 - 15:30 | WWT Caerlaverock, WWT Caerlaverock, Eastpark Farm, Dumfriesshire, Scotland, DG1 4RS, United Kingdom
Build your confidence in wetland bird identification at our reserve and learn how to get involved in recording the birds you see.

Join a friendly warden who will help show where and what species to look out for when birding, as well as sharing more information about wetland habitats and wildlife.

This is a great opportunity for you to get involved in helping wildlife and conservation at this time of climate crisis.

We will include an introduction to the Wetland Bird Survey (WeBs).

BOOKING ESSENTIAL

BOOK YOUR TICKETS HERE

Accessibility Details: Our site has disabled parking & facilities, is wheelchair accessible with wheelchairs available for hire. Trained service dogs are allowed.

Birding for Brents
2023-10-21 13:00 - 16:00 | Stranraer Harbour and Marina, Sailwest Building, West Pier, Stranraer, Scotland, DG9 7RE, United Kingdom
In Dumfries and Galloway we have a small wintering population of light bellied brent geese.

These fascinating birds migrate 5,000km from Canada each year to spend the winter on our coastline. Most of the population winter in Ireland, but we have a small population on the coasts of West Galloway where they feed on eel grass during the winter.

We will use binoculars and telescopes to look at the geese and other birds on Loch Ryan. Experts will be on-hand to help with identification and to tell you all about these incredible birds and their migration.

This event is in partnership with Galloway & Southern Ayrshire UNESCO Biosphere, British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) and Scottish Ornithologists Club (SOC).

Please bring warm clothes, suitable footwear and optics if you have them.

Peter Scott and the Birth of Modern Conservation– Book Signing
2023-10-21 11:00 - 12:30 | WWT Caerlaverock, WWT Caerlaverock, Eastpark Farm, Dumfriesshire, Scotland, DG1 4RS, United Kingdom
Peter Scott was a remarkable man who led an extraordinary life. Writer, artist, broadcaster, conservationist, sportsman; in any one of his chosen fields he would have been remembered as someone who made a difference. That he excelled in all of these is perhaps the main reason why his life remains an inspiration to others more than thirty years after his death. To his chosen fields, Peter brought a restless energy, boundless enthusiasm, integrity and determination to succeed.

This new biography charts his life, from the young boy who grew up in the shadow of the tragic death of his famous father to the co-founder of the World Wildlife Fund and a major international figure in wildlife conservation. Along the way he became a passionate wildfowler, an internationally renowned artist, Olympic medal winner, wartime hero, British national glider champion and popular broadcaster who was heavily involved in the development of natural history programmes at the BBC.

The book draws in part upon previously unpublished letters and papers discovered in his home during preparations to open it to the public, and casts a fresh light on some of the events that helped change a passionate hunter of wild geese into the most fervent champion for their survival. With the current crisis of global warming and the threat of mass extinction of wildlife across the globe, Peter’s story is a vivid reminder of the challenges we face and of what we stand to lose.

BOOK YOUR PLACE HERE

Accessibility Details: Our site has disabled parking & facilities, is wheelchair accessible with wheelchairs available for hire. Trained service dogs are allowed.

Optics Demonstration
2023-10-21 10:00 - 16:00 | WWT Caerlaverock, WWT Caerlaverock, Eastpark Farm, Dumfriesshire, Scotland, DG1 4RS, United Kingdom
Interested in a new pair of binoculars, or a telescope?

Optics greatly enhance your experience of watching geese, helping you see the stunning plumage of these beautiful birds and watch their fascinating behaviour.

Experts from Swarovski and Viking are visiting WWT Caerlaverock to demonstrate and sell a range of optics.

Take this opportunity to try out a great range of optics and get all your questions answered.

NO BOOKING REQUIRED

LEARN MORE ON THE WWT CAERLAVEROCK WEBSITE

Paddington Party
2023-10-21 10:00 - 16:00 | Moat Brae, 101 George Street, Dumfries, DG1 1EA
All day we are running activities inspired by the most famous migrant in children’s literature – Paddington Bear.

All activities are drop-in and included with a house ticket to Moat Brae.

Film and TV series screenings will be running all day and we will have crafts, drama, storytelling and more.

BOOK YOUR TICKETS HERE

Dusk Flight: Walk up Wardlaw
2023-10-20 17:30 - 20:00 | Caerlaverock Castle, Castle Road End, Dumfries, DG1 4RU
Take a gander with a wander up Wardlaw to celebrate the return of the geese for Wild Goose Festival, WWT Caerlaverock wardens are joining NatureScot reserve staff to lead a walk up Wardlaw Hill to see the dusk flight of the pink footed geese and barnacle geese as they head out to roost on the Solway mudflats.

The walk will start at Caerlaverock Castle, it is a free ticketed event – please email: southern_scotland_admin@nature.scot if you require further details.

BOOKING ESSENTIAL

Accessibility Details: No wheelchair access, due to steep hill walk and off road tracks. No dogs except guide dogs.

Age Restriction: 8+

Hub Programme 2023
2023-10-20 10:00 - 2023-10-28 16:00 | The Wild Goose Festival Hub, Carers Centre, Dumfries, Dumfries & Galloway, DG1 2PW, United Kingdom
Join us at the Wild Goose Festival Hub this October and take part in our fun and creative events, workshops and activities. Learn all about our feathery friends, the Wild Geese, and find out why they visit us here in Dumfries & Galloway every year.

At our hub , you can meet some of the people helping to protect our natural resources and get crafty with our artists .

All of our activity is FREE and suitable for all ages.

Open Daily from 10am – 4pm, 20th – 28th October (CLOSED SUNDAY 22nd) at the Loreburne Centre.

Programme of Activity

Friday 20th October

1pm – 4pm: The experts from WWT Caerlaverock will be on hand to answer questions & will be hosting workshop activity

Saturday 21st October

11am – 3pm: Artist Katie Anderson will be hosting a Praxinoscope animation workshop

Monday 23rd October

10am – 4pm: The NatureScot reserve team will be hosting activities in the hub

11am – 3pm: Community Artwork: Drop in and Do – using recycled materials, help us create a special Community Mural designed by local illustrator Jamie Stryker

1pm-4pm: The team from RSPB Mersehead will be hosting an activity and answering questions about their work on the reserve

Tuesday 24th October

10am – 1pm: Discover how we can help protect our wildlife with the Species on the Edge team

11am – 3pm: Community Artwork: Drop in and Do – using recycled materials, help us create a special Community Mural designed by local illustrator Jamie Stryker

1pm – 4pm: The experts from WWT Caerlavrock will be on hand to answer questions & will be hosting workshop activity

Solway Firth Partnership will be in the hub hosting some hands-on activities for all the family

Wednesday 25th October

10am – 1pm: Watch out for the team at Lift D&G who’ll be goosing around the town

11am – 1pm: Join artists Alice Francis & Rose Giblin for a fun and fast-paced drawing workshop. Bring along something from nature if you can (a leaf, a stone, a flower etc)!

1pm – 3pm: Artist Betty Stephenson will be hosting a Cyanotype Workshop, making photos without the use of a camera!

Thursday 26th October

10am – 1pm: The Galloway & Southern Aryshire UNESCO Biosphere team will be hosting family-friendly activties

11am – 3pm: Community Artwork: Drop in and Do – using recycled materials, help us create a special Community Mural designed by local illustrator Jamie Stryker

1pm – 4pm: Solway Firth Partnership will be in the hub hosting some hands-on activity for all the family

Friday 27th October

10am – 1pm: The team from NTS Threave Nature Reserve will be in the hub delivering workshop activities

11am – 3pm: Community Artwork, Drop in and Do – using recycled materials, help us create a special Community Mural designed by local illustrator Jamie Stryker

1pm – 4pm: The experts from WWT Caerlaverock will be on hand to answer questions & will be hosting workshop activity

Saturday 28th October

11am – 3pm: Join the Paragon team for “Honk in the Hub”, a special sound workshop.

The Wild Goose Festival Hub is supported by YouthLink Scotland, The Scottish Government, Creative Scotland, Dumfries & Galloway Council, Traditional Arts Culture Scotland and the Scottish International Storytelling Festival.

Click here to see our full list of partners.

Artful Migration Conference
2023-10-20 10:00 - 16:30 | Easterbrook Hall, (Duncan Hall),The Crichton, Bankend Road, Dumfries, DG1 4TL
The Artful Migration conference will share learning from three artist residencies located in Dumfries & Galloway, developed by Upland and Moving Souls Dance. Bringing artists and conservationists together, keynote speakers Sacha Dench and Chris Fremantle will explore artistic practice linked to migratory pathways of birds challenged by climate change.

The Artful Migration programme created three artist residencies that focused on migratory birds hosted by local partners. A pilot residency took place in 2017-18 partnered with WWT Caerlaverock focusing on the Whooper Swans, undertaken by Angela Alexander Lloyd. A secondary residency, undertaken by John Wallace, ran from 2020 –2021 with NTS Threave Garden & Estate focusing on the osprey. Over 2023 artists Leeming & Paterson are exploring the elusive nightjar, with partners Forest Land Scotland & RSPB. All three residencies have been funded by Creative Scotland.

The conference aims to bring conservationists, land managers, artists and communities together. Presentations and discussions will reveal new approaches that integrate the insights of artistic practice with ecological science and land management experience.

A final report will gather responses from all participants to inform future collaborative inquiry and new connections.

Keynote speakers and presenters:

Sacha Dench – Ambassador, UN’s Convention on Migratory Species and CEO and founder of Conservation Without Borders

Chris Fremantle – Research Fellow and Lecturer at Gray’s School of Art

Leeming & Paterson – Current Artful Migration artists-in-residence

John Wallace – Environmental video artist and filmmaker, Artful Migration artist in residence 2020-21

There is also an accompanying exhibition at Gracefield Art Centre which will showcase the work of the current and previous artists-in-residence.

Tickets available to purchase from 6th September

BOOK YOUR TICKET HERE

Accessibility Details: Wheelchair accessible (see website for details)

Age Restriction: Open to all but children under 18 must be accompanied by an adult

Badger Banquet at Mersehead
2023-10-19 18:00 - 20:00 | RSPB Mersehead, RSPB Mersehead Nature Reserve, Southwick, Dumfries, DG2 8AH, United Kingdom
Feast your eyes on badgers, as they snuffle around for a snack in our garden. So, they’re not goosey but are just as black, white and grey as our barnacle geese!

These creatures are living on the reserve and often leave tracks and signs along our trails but close views can be a challenge. Watch them close-up from the comfort of our Sulwath Centre, with hot drinks also available for the evening. And who knows what else might turn up?

All children must be accompanied by ticketed adults.

A great experience for families (though not suitable for early years).

BOOKING ESSENTIAL

BOOK TICKETS HERE

Accessibility Details: Restricted spaces. Indoor event, wheelchair accessible, toilets and audio hearing loop available in venue. Nearby car parking.

Age Restriction: Adults and children 12+

Svalbard to the Solway Story Trail at Mersehead
2023-10-19 10:00 - 2023-10-29 16:00 | RSPB Mersehead, RSPB Mersehead Nature Reserve, Southwick, Dumfries, DG2 8AH, United Kingdom
Part of the #WildGooseFestival2023. Meet Bart (the Barnacle Goose) and read his story along this self-led, short activity trail about how his family try to survive life as wild geese.

Collect an activity booklet and pencil at our visitor centre and then head to places along the marked trail. Warning, some activities will require grown-up participation too – so not just for kids!

Booking not essential, you can drop in any time on dates when this event is taking place.

Additional car parking charges apply to non-RSPB members.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION

Artful Migration Exhibition
2023-10-14 10:00 - 2023-11-11 17:00 | Gracefield Arts Centre, 28 Edinburgh Road,, Dumfries, DG1 1JQ
Closed (Sundays & Mondays)

An exhibition by Artful Migration artists-in-residence, Leeming & Paterson.

Over the past 8 months Ted Leeming & Morag Paterson have spent time at Lochar Mosses exploring the elusive Nightjar, one of Scotland’s rarest and most unusual birds, which appears to be thriving in the region.

The nightjar has secretive behaviour and an almost supernatural reputation, being only visible at night. Leeming & Paterson have observed the birds and their behaviours, explored the threats to the birds, which include habitat degradation and the challenges that climate change is having.

The exhibition, which is the culmination of their residency period, includes a range of photographic, alternative processes and audio/visual work by the artists, working both together and individually as they explore the behaviours, habitats, threats and opportunities that link local to global.

Leeming & Paterson’s work explores the landscape and our human interactions therein in the context of the twin emergencies of climate change and biodiversity loss. Often working close to their home in Galloway, the natural world forms the basis of inspiration for many of their collaborative images and projects.

The residency is the third in a programme of three residencies which have been developed by Upland and Moving Souls Dance since 2017. Each residency has offered artists a unique insight into the migratory birds of Dumfries & Galloway through partnership working with local nature reserves and the opportunity to create new, high-quality artworks in response for public display. The 2023 residency has been delivered in partnership with Forest and Land Scotland and RSPB Scotland with funding from Creative Scotland.

Reel to Real Cinema x Wild Goose Festival Presents: Sami Blood/Sameblod
2023-10-06 19:00 - 22:00 | The Stove Cafe, 100 High Street, Dumfries, Scotland, DG1 2BJ, United Kingdom
Sami Blood | 2016 | Amanda Kernell | Swedish | 12 A | 1 hr 48 mins

Join us for the next in our edition of Reel to Real Cinema, a pop-up cinema space hosted at the Stove Cafe where we will be sharing Sami Blood, a historical drama following a Sámi girl in 1930’s Sweden where she is exposed to the racism faced by her indigenous family.

About the Film

Elle Marja, 14, is a reindeer-herding Sámi girl. Exposed to the racism of the 1930’s and race biology examinations at her boarding school she starts dreaming of another life. To achieve this other life, she has to become someone else and break all ties with her family and culture.

Film Trailer:

About Reel to Real Cinema

Reel to Real Cinema is a monthly film space in the Stove Cafe, featuring an eclectic mixture of conversational films – from artist made shorts to feature length documentaries, locally made to international cinema. A space for discussion and thought-provoking films, you are welcome to join us after the film for a short conversation about the themes from this month’s selection.

More information about Reel to Real is available here.

The Stove Cafe will be open from 5:30pm – 7:00pm with a special pre-film dinner option alongside hot drinks and cakes.

Fairground Walkabout: Showpeople and the Dumfries Rood Fair
2023-09-29 17:15 - 18:30 | Suspension Bridge (Dockhead / A781)
URGENT UPDATE: Fairground Walkabout POSTPONED until Friday 29th 5:15pm

The Fairground Walkabout has been postponed from Thursday (28th) but WILL GO AHEAD Friday 29th same time, 5:15-6:30pm. The walk will start as advertised at the East Side of the Suspension Bridge (the Whitesands/Fairground side).

On behalf of Fair Scotland and all of the Showpeople involved in organising this event, we apologise for the change in schedule – but weather and flood warnings have necessitated the change. Although the weather looks fine for Thursday evening, the Showpeople operating at the Rood Fair have this week set up their rides/stalls on Tuesday/Wednesday, then had to take them down and move them Wed afternoon due to flood and wind warnings, and now have to put them back up Thursday afternoon to prepare for this evening’s opening of the Fair. At their request we have made these changes.

We very much hope to see you!

The Rood Fair returns! Learn some fair history and meet Showpeople who travel to Dumfries from across Scotland to make it happen.

Many Showfamilies have operated on the banks of the Nith for generations – hear their stories while walking the route of local fairgrounds, past & present.

The route will start along the riverfront and walk through the Rood Fair, stopping at sites relevant to Dumfries’ historical riverfront fairs. Led by artist T S Beall, Showperson and Dumfries Fair Organiser Raynor Codona, and Chair of the Scottish Section of the Showman’s Guild and Vice-President of the European Showmen’s Union Alex James Colquhoun. Attendees will have a chance to speak with some of the Showpeople who have operated in Dumfries for generations.

This will be our first ever walking tour through the Rood Fair – don’t miss it!

Please gather at the east side of the Suspension Bridge (Dockhead / A781)

Accessibility and route details:

Dress for the weather. Please note the fair opens at 5pm, with some flashing lights and fairground noises. Walking route is wheelchair accessible. Suitable for audience 12+.

Please note that due to rising cases of COVID-19, if you feel unwell please stay home. This walkabout will be filmed so you will be able to experience part of the event if you are unable to attend. If you are attending the walkabout and do not wish to be filmed, please let the hosts know.

Part of the Stove Network’s Wild Goose Festival. This walk is hosted in partnership with Fair Scotland, a charity created to promote the heritage and future of Scotland’s Showpeople. Supported by the People’s Project.
